Untitled (Death by Gun)

Cuban-born Felix Gonzalez-Torres came to New York in 1979, where he quickly became recognized for his evocative and conceptual artworks. Untitled (Death by Gun) addresses urban violence and its representation in the media. Depicted are the 460 individuals killed by guns in the United States during the week of May 1–7, 1989. A thumbnail photograph of each victim is accompanied by his or her name, age, geographic location, and a brief account of the circumstances of the death. One caption reads, for example:

John Hebert, 19. Palatka, Fla. Outside a bar, he argued about a pool game with two other young men. One of them got a pistol from a van and shot him in the side.

Originally presented at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, Death by Gun comprised a nine-inch stack of identical prints installed on the gallery floor. Visitors were invited to take a single sheet from the top of the stack, simultaneously rendering the work a dwindling sculpture as well as a nomadic commodity.